Mounting means for ironer shoes



T. HARRIS MOUNTING MEANS FOR IRONER SHOES Aug. 9, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1947 l zzvmvrm THOMAS HARRIS ATTORNEY Aug. 9, 1949. T. HARRIS 2,478,532

-MOUNTING MEAN$ FOR IRONER S'HOES I Filed May 15, 1947 2 Sheet-Sheef 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. T THOMAS HARRIS ATTORNEY This invention relates i atented Aug. 9, 1949 Thomas Harris; East Cleveland, Ohio, ass igno r' to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing (do Cleveland, Ohio, at corporationbf Ohio Application May l5, 194.7,.semiso..as,zotfi l to ironing machines, and more particularly to an improved mounting and emergency release means for an ironing machine .shoe. 7

It has been common practice in ironing machines wherein the shoe and roll are brought into ironing relation by power means to mount the shoe so that it can be manually moved away-from the shoe in an emergency to prevent damage to an article being ironed or injuryito an operator. For example; if the roll and shoe are in ironing relation and the power fails for any reason, an article being ironed would be damaged unless an emergency release means were provided. Also, the release means is used when it is desired to have sufiicient clearance for cleaning the press face of the shoe. The'manual release means in ironing machine wherein the roll and shoe are brought into engagementunder power usually comprises a lever disposed beneath the base of the machine and at one side of. the knee operat ing control to be accessible by one hand. However, in an emergency, it is awkward and time consuming to grope for a handle or emergency release which is infrequently used.

I provide a release means for an ironing ma-- chine of the above type comprising a bar normally extending above and along the shoe which is clearly visible and easily accessible to be by either hand to release the shoe in an emer= gency. The shoe is normally locked to withstand the ironing pressure or" the roll until the bar is manually pressed.

According to the invention, a bracket which resiliently supports the shoe is pivotally mounted on the ironing machine table and a generally U-shaped emergency release bar is disposed rearwardly of the shoe relative to the operator and normally extend above the shoe and for a substantial distance along the length of the shoe. This bar is mounted in association with the shoe bracket so that the shoe will be carried away from the roll when the bar is subjected to manual roll engaging position duringnormal operation. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide V of the shoe mounting and release means in normal .p i i n a shoe mounting and emergency releasen eans foran; ironing machine of the type wherein the shoe and roll are engaged by power means and which is continuously visibleto an operatorand easily accessible and operable by either hand.

i I Another object of the invention is tolprovide a s o v moun in endem i ency istre ses o the above type which comprises relatively few o ens a di cpnpom ee Qf men tu H Other objects of the invention and the invenfiiOn itself will be clearly understood from a conv.s a i n Qith f ll wi s d s r r t arid r win e ein Figure 1 isaperspective viewof an ironing machine embodying the invention showing the shoe in normal or ironing position,

I Figure 2 is an end elevationalview of the ironing machine of Fig. 1 showing theshoe in released p siti n. o Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view Figure 4 is a view generally similar: to Fig. 3 showing the mounting and release means in released position p U )7 v F 5; is. a-fron e v q a ew o t imounting and release means with a guard plate omitted for clearance oi illustration, and

V Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse section showing the manner of securing theshoe to the mounting means. 7 g M 7 Referring now to the drawings and particularly Figs. 1 and 2, I have illustrated the invention in association with a portable ironing machine from a housing I2 fixed to the base it, the roll being actuated in any suitable manner. The roll may berotated and moved towards and from the shoe'indicated at li by a motor disposed within a the rollthrough a mechanism more fully described and illustrated in a co-pending application of Archibald H. Davis, Jr., Serial No. 688,663, filed August 6, 1946. V

The emergency release and mounting means for the shoe I3 willnow be described. Afiixed to the top surface of the base I0, preferably by welding,

is asupport. member M of generally elongate box form comprising a base, an upstanding back .wall. l ,;.an up nd m We". l ased standing end wall 2|. Pivoted to member it about an axis 22 is a bracket 23. Bracket 23 is preferably formed of sheet metal and. comprises a curved back 24, side flanges 28, progressively increasing in width towards the base of the arm, and a top flange 21. Bracket 23 is preferably secured to member [4 by bolt and nut connections as indicated at 28 with bearing pads 23 being welded to end walls 2| of member l4.

A rock arm is pivoted to bracket 23 to rotate about an axis indicated at 3i and comprises a lower member 32 and a loop or U for-m bar 33 rigidly secured thereto, preferably by welding. Member 32 comprises a planar back e a, side flanges 33 preferably pin-connected to flanges 23 of bracket 23 and a top flange 3?. The end of bar 33 are preferably flatted and projected through grooves in side flanges 36 and secured to back 34 of member 32 by welding as previously indicated. Mounted on the lower end of flanges 36 are rollers 38 adapted to roll along base ll of support member is as the rock arm is actuated. A pair of tension springs 33 are connected to member 32 and bracket 23 preferably by providing a loop in the flatted ends 01' bar 33 and bending over portions or side flanges or bracket 23 as indicated at dc to receive the opposite ends or the springs.

Tne shoe as which is of generally conventional construction is supported in the iollowing manner. A pair or tnreaded studs il extend from the rear race or the shoe at spaced points and are guided through bushings which are riveted to bracket 23. compression springs 12 encircle the studs and seat within cup shaped depressions formed within bracket 23 and the back covering of the shoe, the spring force being maintained by nuts 43. If a relatively thick article is being ironed, the springs permit compensating movement of the shoe at somewhat increased pressure which is desirable for ironing such articles. A balancing spring 25 is provided to support the shoe when the roll is not in contact with the shoe.

Figure 6 illustrates the normal position of the shoe during ironing operations and it will be noted that the thrust on bracket 23 as the roll is brought into pressure engagement with the shoe is slightly upwardly or generally along the axis of studs Lil. This thrust will tend to pivot bracket 23 about axis 22 and move axis 3| downwardly. However, since rollers 38 are in contact with the base H or support member l4, movement of bracket 23 is prevented. In other words, the position of axis 3| is such that the toggle action tending to rotate axis 31 in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 3) about axis 22 tends to increase the distance between axis 22 and rollers 38 which could only be effected if the rollers were free to move to the left, but this is prevented due to contact or" back 34 of member 32 with the back wall l8 of support member Hi.

In the event that the roll is in pressure engagement with the shoe and it is desired to quickly move the roll from engagement, it is only necessary to exert pressure on bar 33 and due to the fact that the horizontal portion of bar 33 is above roll ll and is of substantial horizontal extent, it is easily accessible with either hand. A relatively slight pressure on the horizontal portion of bar 33 will pivot the rock arm about axis 3| and move the'same to the position illustrated in Fig. 4. This movement carries bracket 23 and shoe 13 away from the roll ll since bracket 23 is pin connected to the rock arm at axis 3i.

the position shown in Fig. 3.

Springs 39 are increasingly stretched as the rock arm is moved in the release direction and effect a quick return of bracket 23 and bar 33 to normal or ironing position. When bar 33 is rocked clockwise (Fig. 4) until rollers 38 are to the left of a vertical plane through axis 22, the momentum and tension of springs 33 carries bracket 23 to Retraction of springs 33 carry bar 33 to the position of Fig. 3

V and retains the bar in this position during normal ironing operation.

In-order to prevent articles being ironed from passing into bracket 23, 1 preferably provide a guard plate 43 which is detachably secured to flanges it of arm 23, the guard plate having a lip 32 which extends over the top edge of front wall l9 of support member l4. In order to limit movement of bracket 23 and the rock arm in reverse direction, I provide a hook member id which is secured centrally or" base ll of support member 63 to engage the lower end of the rock arm as illustrated in Fig. 4.

It will now be understood that I have provided a mounting and emergency release means for an ironing machine shoewhich will resiliently support the shoe to withstand the roll. pressure during ironing operations and which can be operated to quickly move the shoe away from the roll by manual thrust on a bar extending longitudinally above the shoe.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In an ironing machine of the type having a base, a shoe, and a roll movable towards and from the shoe under power, an emergency release and mounting means for the shoe comprising an open-top box-shaped structure affixed to the machine base, a bracket pivotally connected to the ends of said structure, a shoe mounted on the bracket, a rock arm pivoted to the bracket on an axis parallel to the bracket axis and intermediate the rear wall of said structure and the bracket axis, the lower portion or the rock arm engaging the structure base at a point substantially directly beneath the rock arm axis with the shoe in normal operating position whereby movement of the bracket due to roli pressure on the shoe will be prevented under operating conditions, and the rock arm being manuaily movable about its axis to move the lower portion of the rock arm'towards the bracket axis whereby the bracket will be rotated aroun its pivotal axis due to its connection with the rock arm to move the shoe away from the roll.

2. In an ironing machine of the type having a base, a shoe, a roll, and power means for effecting relative movement of the roll and shoe towards and from each other, an emergency release and mounting means for the shoe comprising a bracket pivotally supported by the base on an axis spaced above the base and generally parallel to the roll axis, a shoe mounted on the bracket, a rock arm pivoted to the bracket on an axis parallel to the bracket axis and rearwardly thereof relative to the roll, the rock arm lower portion with the shoe in operating position engaging the base at a point substantially directly beneath the rock arm axis whereby bracket movement due to roll pressure on the shoe under operating conditions will be prevented, and the rock arm being manually movable about its axis to an inclinedposition whereby the bracket will from the roll. Number THOMAS HARRIS. 1,623,996 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

6 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Mompere June 1, 1926 Reddig May 17, 1927 Dady Dec. 13, 1927 McCabe Jan. 12, 1937 Stilwell May 2, 1939 Sperlich May 16, 1944 Briggs Jan. 13, 1948 

